Sydney trainer Joe Pride is happy to take on the three-year-olds with proven weight-for-age performer Mazu in Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
Sydney trainer Joe Pride is happy to back his proven warhorse Mazu against the younger brigade in Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
Three-year-olds Switzerland, Growing Empire and Traffic Warden hold the first three spots in opening all-in betting on the $1m sprint in which Mazu is a $26 chance.
Pride said the betting odds were simply a matter of opinion, but he had faith in his charge.
“He won’t be popular in betting,” Pride said.
“I see this every year. People just overlook the obvious older horse that has been at that level for a while, and they are always looking for that up and comer.
“He’s a Group 1 performer while some of these have got to measure up.
“Sometimes they get it right but sometimes they get it wrong.”
Mazu is a proven weight-for-age performer, winning the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in 2022 and placing in The Everest that year.
The sprinter also ran third in the 2023 Doomben 10,000 and TJ Smith Stakes while posting a creditable fifth at his only run down the Flemington straight course in the Newmarket Handicap.
Mazu was competitive in rich races during the Sydney spring carnival last year, placing in The Shorts and Premiere Stakes before finishing on the heels of the placegetters in rich races at his last two starts.
Pride said Mazu’s consistency would ensure the six-year-old would again be around the mark in the Lightning Stakes, especially with his solid Newmarket Handicap experience.
“He’s an honest, genuine horse and he’s a tough bugger,” Pride said.
“He’s very consistent in his race day performance and I’m going in with a horse that I know is capable at that level.
“He’ll be in the finish.
“I’d be shocked if he wasn’t within a length or two of them at the end and I give him a very good winning chance.”
Most of the Lightning Stakes runners had jumpouts down the Flemington straight course last Friday but Pride decided to stick with his usual approach of preferring to trial his horses in Sydney.
That approach led to Pride’s first Lightning Stakes win with Terravista in 2017.
However, Pride said Mazu’s residual fitness from his spring campaign meant he only needed one hitout to prepare for Saturday.
“I think for 1000m, off a short let-up, which is all he had after the spring, I think it’s enough for him,” Pride said.
“The 1000m isn’t about fitness, it’s about wellbeing and the horse feeling good on the day with fresh legs.
“I’ve never put one down the straight before they have raced.
“I try and identify the right horses for the straight but with this bloke, I had a head start because he has been down there once and ran well.”
By Brad Waters – Racenet